ECOTOURISM

ECOTOURISM, CONSERVATION OF SPECIES, AND COOPERATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ORANGO NATIONAL PARK (GUINEA BISSAU)

The Orango Parque Hotel is not just a tourist establishment; it functions as an ecotourism development center in Guinea Bissau national parks and particularly in the Bijagos Islands and Orango and Vieira Poilao National Parks. The hotel is also the base of many collaborative projects developed together with IBAP (Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas) within the park: conservation projects targeting the manatee and hippopotamus populations in the region, projects designed to reduce conflicts between local people and wildlife, and projects that construct wells or renovate community health centers, among others. The two primary goals of current projects are to maintain increased hotel occupancy rates in order to achieve financial independence and to increase the ability of local staff to manage the hotel and ecotourism activities with complete autonomy.

A responsible and sustainable tourism project that ensures tourism is compatible with biodiversity conservation

Completed projects 2009–2018

2009-2018

«Ecotourism and Conservation of Nature in Orango National Park (Guinea Bissau)»

Goals: Support the positive development of Ecotourism in Bijagos and Orango Parque Hotel in order to achieve full financial independence and management autonomy by the local population.

Establish a functional model of ecotourism in the Orango National Park, which respects UNWTO Ecotourism Regulations that establish economic viability standards and lessons that must be followed to implement a responsible and sustainable ecotourism model in the country and ecoregion

With the financial support of the MAVA Foundation

2013-2016

«Fostering natural, historical, and cultural tourism as an increasingly relevant economic activity for the development of Guinea Bissau».

Goal: To improve the living conditions of Orango National Park’s Bijago population through sustainable ecotourism, emphasizing Guinea Bissau’s ecological, historical, and cultural attractions.

With the financial support of the European Union (EUROPEAID).

2011-2014

«Improvement of agricultural production in the regions of Cacheu, Bissorã, and Carantaba through the resolution of conflict with the hippopotamuses in Guinea Bissau»

Goal: To improve food security conditions for the populations of Cacheu National Park and Bissora and Carantaba regions by increasing rice crop production, thus solving the conflict between farmers and hippopotamuses.

This project arose from the need to resolve a prevalent conflict between hippopotamuses and local farmers. Solving this conflict was a priority for the country as its population relies on rice as its main source of sustenance.

With the financial support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

2010-2013

“Contribution to the manatee project in Guinea Bissa”

Objetivo: To determine the African manatee’s critical habitat within Orango National Park in the Bijagos archipelago (Guinea Bissau). For this purpose, several African manatee specimens were tracked in order to identify the most suitable locations for their capture and marking.

With the financial support of OceanCare

2012-2013

«Autonomy of Orango National Park farmers in the protection of the “bolanhas” with electric fencing”

Goal: Increase the autonomy of Orango National Park farmers in managing the conflict with hippopotamuses by providing farmers with training in the use of electric shepherds and National Park guards with training on crop control and monitoring.

With the financial support of the MAVA Foundation.

2011-2012

«Efforts to improve food security among Bijago’s local population and the conservation status of the hippopotamus in Orango National Park (Guinea-Bissau)»

Goal: To resolve the conflict between rice crop farmers and hippopotamus conservation in Orango National Park. The project resulted in the protection of rice crops in permanently flooded fields (bolanhas), the training of farmers on the use and function of crop protection techniques, and an awareness campaign with the support of a local dance and theater group that encouraged the abandonment of “mpam pam” crop fields, which required a rotational system of tropical forest slash and burn.

With the financial support of the Fundación Biodiversidad.

2009-2011

«Improvement in food security among Orango National Park’s local population and development of ecotourism in Guinea Bissau»

Goal: To contribute to increased food security among the local population and Orango National Park conservation by increasing rice field productivity through protection against damages caused by hippopotamuses. To increase knowledge and understanding about ecotourism through training of the local population.

With the financial support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

2009-2011

«Sustainable development in Orango National Park (Guinea Bissau)».

Goal: To develop ecotourism in Orango National Park that contributes to biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development of local communities that inhabit the park. This is accomplished by (1) identifying locations with potential for ecotourism due to their natural, cultural, or scenic value in protected areas of Guinea Bissau (predominately on the Bijagos islands); (2) the development of ecotourism routes that are sufficiently appealing throughout the tourist season to attract ecotourists; and (3) the configuration of small infrastructures within ecotourism locations that are required to facilitate ecotourists’ visits.

With the financial support of the Fundación Biodiversidad.

2009-2011

«Implementation of action plans for the monk seal in the East Atlantic and for the manatee in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau».

Goal: To support the implementation of the Action Plan for the West African Manatee in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau through the development of studies about the species’ ecology and movements among the Matam population living along the Senegal River, the manatee’s northernmost distribution area. To reduce the impact of Senegal River dams.

In Guinea Bissau, an assessment was conducted to determine the state of fishing and its impact on the most important manatee population of West Africa, located in Orango National Park (Bijagos Archipelago, Guinea Bissau). In both cases, the identification and tracking of specimens through telemetry was used.

With the financial support of the UNESCO.

2011

Goal: To improve the living conditions of the educational community in the Eticoga village by renovating the Orango Grande Island’s only school, which serves 400 children each year. In addition to infrastructure improvements, the school required teaching materials and equipment; school furniture such as desks, tables, and chairs for students and teachers; and cabinets for children. We took the opportunity to create, publish, and distribute an environmental-themed comic for schoolchildren which featured the African manatee as the main character. This publication will promote environmental education among children, with the goal of reaching the Bolama-Bijagos biosphere reserve’s entire population and, thus, transmitting the importance of sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.

With the financial support of the UNESCO.

2007-2009

«Development of ecotourism activities in Orango National Park».

Goal: To solve problems derived from the small number of ecotourists who visit the national park, increase benefits derived from ecotourism for local communities, and sustainably exploit the natural environment while coordinating it with the National Park biodiversity conservation.

With the financial support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

ORANGO PARQUE HOTEL

Orango National Park – Guinea Bissau

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO

“Development of ecotourism in Guinea Bissau”

Orango Parque Hotel is located in Ponta Anabaca on Orango Grande Island, within Orango National Park. A place to experience firsthand the values ofconservation and sustainability and to encounter a blend of biodiversity and cultural tradition in the same extraordinary location.

Orango Parque Hotel is not just a tourist establishment. The hotel is managed by the Associaçao Guiné Bissau Orango, a nonprofit organization that collaborates on promoting ecotourism development in the country’s National Parks.

A responsible and sustainable tourism project compatible with biodiversity conservation. Key partners are CBD-Habitat Foundation – nonprofit organization devoted to the conservation of biodiversity and its habitat, simultaneously facilitating relationships between humans and their natural environment; the Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Guinea Bissau (IBAP); and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

A unique place to enter the heart of Africa; an intersection of biodiversity and tradition.

BAR-RESTAURANT
During your stay at Orango Parque Hotel, you can enjoy a sunset over the sea from beach huts or a casual conversation and refreshing drink at the bar. The hotel’s philosophy and unique location enable the chef and his team to prepare a succulent menu every day with fresh products and fresh fish caught from the sea, accompanied by seasonal fruit. The menu includes Bijago products such as “combé” (a type of local cockle), fish, and Bijago rice.

Thanks to your stay at Orango Parque Hotel, you contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the Orango National Park population as well as the conservation of its extraordinary natural and cultural diversity.